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Monday, 21 March 2016

Mech Head Studio's have put up a short video review of some of last month's new releases at The Ion Age. The fellow that runs the studio is a great fan of 15mm science fiction wargaming called Jason Arana Sr from the United States of America. It is a great look at the Xin. Their Battlesuit along with some of the Sanbao Trade Fleet soldiers and the Xin Monkey Bot which was the free monthly miniature for February 2016. Jason puts himself due about his camera quality but it is very hard to take images and video of unpainted white metal and I think he did a grand job! Enjoy.

If you are interested the the 15mm miniatures of the Xin Hegemony you can find them on our website HERE. Below are some images from our own site featuring the codes looked at by Mech Head Studio.

The Xin Precinct is made up of the eight central star systems along with a number of smaller outposts all contained with a constricted pocket of stellar space that has only now become accessible once more after a thousand years of isolation caused by the detonation of the Aldan Crucible during the first Khanate War. Contained by Dolorous Clouds that resulted from the detonation which also decimated the Prydian Precinct there is now a slim open passage for navigation by Ancep Drive. Our knowledge of the Xin comes from archives that are from ancient times and also a more recent partially successful expedition mounted in 4303IC by the Starvaulters and of course from the Great Trade Fleet dispatched to Prydia in 4327IC. Commanded by Grand Admiral Hong Tu Quin the hundreds of vessels that make up the fleet have visited a third of the systems in the Precinct thus far. Trading in exotic goods, rarities as well as information and technology they have made allies and some enemies.

While the hegemony maintains its own imperial army and fleet officially under the command of Princess Xin Meiying the grand admiral has his own military that is embarked upon his starships. Collectively known as the 'Sanbao' the gifts or protectors we refer to them as Trade Fleet Soldiers for the most part. Refer to other entries in AAT Series 77 for the Sanbao in detail. These troops are very effective and have aided our regiments in actions against the Khanate Empire. The Xin hegemony is centred on the three core planets in the central Xin Precinct system of Jinhong. From the lotus throne on the planet of Wei the princess rules in troubled seclusion while the planets of Zhao and Yan are in an uneasy alliance. We know of the rebel Prince Tang and his efforts to marry the princess though these actions seem to be taking place in the holdings of all three planets of the Jinhong system outside of the core system. All three core planets have the other systems in the Xin Precinct split between them. Refer to other entries in AAT Series 77 for details.

The Council of Addans has deemed the Xin Trade Fleet has a nominal ally though it is up to each Knight General and Marcher Baron to establish their own relations with the vast fleet as it passes through. As yet Grand Admiral Hong Tu Quin has not responded to the ongoing campaign in the Carmarthen cluster.

Thursday, 17 March 2016

Auto-Trainer series 52 previous input explained the five primary types of the Model 32 Taranis Main Battle Tank and this now continues into the secondary types and local specialised adaptive local variants. This is not an exhaustive list as local variants are many and the Leagues have made many alterations to the based on their particular needs. The Type F is gaining popularity and since 4326IC has been fabricated in great numbers for regiments on the front lines. It is a missile support type mounting a six block of Anda 115mm Missiles with automatic reload from hull storage and rotation from a modified core hull mounting. There are multiple choices in missiles with high explosive or penetrators being the most common. Also gaining in popularity is the Type G which is an energy based weapons platform for Taranis just as the Type C is but where as the Type C has the often problematic super heavy Fretan SBP9 Sequence Particle Beamer the Type G has a turret mounted Valerin 50Mw Laser Cannon which while not as lethal as the Fretan it does not have greater range and does not need the manifold and shroud replacement requirements that the SBP9 causes in the fray. Responding to the increase in ultra large armoured foes on the field of battle the Type H does away with its Turret and has an adapted hull with a centrally mounted 'Eage' 85Mw Valerin Laser Cannon one of the most lethal energy weapons carried by a ground vehicle in the Precinct. Much rarer are the Type I, Type J and Type K Taranis which are in turn a mobile Hurwent Shield Generating station, a quad mounted anti-aircraft vehicle and an armoured battlefield recovery vehicle. Special mention should be made of the rather odd Type L which features a modified hull upon which are four small turrets one in each corner are placed carrying weapons such as the Valerin 15Mw, the Moth 88 Rotary and the Anda 60mm missile pod. Its use is in low intensity warfare as a heavily armoured vehicle which engages primarily light opponents. There are many local specialised variants beyond the official 'Types' recognised by the Targa Works on New Glastonbury in fact too many to even attempt to list but there are a few Model 32's which have been fitted with a double set of repulsar engines plus an enlarged hull for an additional fusion reactor to power them. This specialised variant mounts magnetic accelerator weapons of the Fretan series which feed from the extra electricity available and is capable of generating a very localised Hurwent shield when stationary. It has no official designation but it is referred to the 'Franca' and it is extremely fast and lethal.

Academy Auto-Trainer Series 52, New Glastonbury, 4335IC

Welcome to our last release for March 2016 and its an epic EIGHT yes eight new variants of the massive and mighty Taranis main battle tank. Our primary armoured vehicle designed by industry legend Bob Naismith now has twenty eight different variants across four means of propulsion. Tracked, Hover, Wheeled and Anti-Gravity with cannon turret, command turret, energy turret, siege gun and armoured personnel carrier versions. We have now added the dazzling high powered Valerin Laser Cannon turret and the Anda multiple pod missile system turret variants. We hope you enjoy these new turrets designed by Bob Naismith and Sam Croes go HERE to see them or read on for full details.

We are expanding the line of these tanks according to the universe fiction in this article with the Type F and Type G of the Model 32 Taranis MBT now being actual models! Taranis is now the modular super heavy tank with the most number of variants anywhere in the 15mm world of wargaming and its proved so popular. The tank varies in size by propulsion system with wheeled and hover being narrower than tracked and anti-gravity being longer than the others but in general a Taranis tank is about 90mm long and 55mm wide and about 30mm tall. It is a beast!

IAF100F Taranis Tracked MBT Laser Turret

This is a tracked Taranis with a very powerful laser turret. It is composed of six resin and white metal pieces which are the upper hull, the lower hull, right and left tracks sections, laser cannon turret as well as the sponson gun in white metal. It is easy to assemble and is designed to be used for wargaming and thus it is very durable. Assembled this vehicle is just over 90mm long and 60mm wide making it a super heavy main battle tank in any 15mm scale force. Purchase one or use the drop down menu to select 'Buy Three and Save 10%' on screen. Price 20.00GBP

IAF101F Taranis Wheeled MBT Laser Turret

This is an eight wheeled Taranis with a very powerful laser turret. It is composed of six resin and white metal pieces which are the upper hull, the lower hull, right and left wheeled sections, laser cannon turret as well as the sponson gun in white metal. It is easy to assemble and is designed to be used for wargaming and thus it is durable. Assembled this vehicle is about 90mm long and 50mm wide making it a super heavy main battle tank in any 15mm scale force. We offer the choice of purchasing one kit or on the drop down menu the purchase of three with a saving of 10% on screen. Price 18.00GBP.

IAF102F Taranis Lifter MBT Laser Turret

This is a hover Taranis main battle tank with a powerful laser turret. It is composed of four resin and white metal pieces which are the upper hull, the hover skirt unit, laser cannon turret as well as the sponson gun in white metal. It is easy to assemble and is designed to be used for wargaming and thus it is durable. Assembled this vehicle is about 90mm long and 55mm wide making it a super heavy main battle tank in any 15mm scale force. We offer the choice of purchasing one kit or on the drop down menu the purchase of three with a saving of 10% on screen. Price 18.00GBP.

IAF103F Taranis Repulsar MBT Laser Turret

This is an anti-gravity Taranis with a powerful laser turret. It is composed of six resin and white metal pieces which are the upper hull, the lower hull, right and left propulsion fins sections, laser turret as well as the sponson gun in white metal. It is easy to assemble and we supply the kit with the finely detailed anti-gravity left and right fins on supporting resin blocks which can be removed with a hobby blade. This vehicle is designed to be used for wargaming and thus it is durable. Assembled this vehicle is just over 110mm long and 55mm wide; its a big tank. We offer the choice of purchasing one kit or on the drop down menu the purchase of three with a saving of 10% on screen. Price 20.00GBP.

This is a tracked Taranis with a missile turret containing six blocks of four medium missiles each. It is composed of fsix resin pieces which are the upper hull, the lower hull, right and left tracks sections, the missile blocks and the turret mount. It is easy to assemble and is designed to be used for wargaming and thus it is very durable. Assembled this vehicle is just over 90mm long and 60mm wide making it a super heavy main battle tank in any 15mm scale force. Purchase one or use the drop down menu to select 'Buy Three and Save 10%' on screen. Price 20.00GBP

IAF101G Taranis Wheeled MBT Missile Turret

This is an eight wheeled Taranis with a missile turret containing six blocks of four medium missiles each. It is composed of six resin parts which are the upper hull, the lower hull, right and left wheeled sections, the missile blocks and the turret mount. It is easy to assemble and is designed to be used for wargaming and thus it is durable. Assembled this vehicle is about 90mm long and 50mm wide making it a super heavy main battle tank in any 15mm scale force. We offer the choice of purchasing one kit or on the drop down menu the purchase of three with a saving of 10% on screen. Price 18.00GBP.

IAF102G Taranis Lifter MBT Missile Turret

This is a hover Taranis main battle tank with a missile turret containing six blocks of four medium missiles each. It is composed of four resin parts which are the upper hull, the hover skirt unit, the missile blocks and the turret mount. It is easy to assemble and is designed to be used for wargaming and thus it is durable. Assembled this vehicle is about 90mm long and 55mm wide making it a super heavy main battle tank in any 15mm scale force. We offer the choice of purchasing one kit or on the drop down menu the purchase of three with a saving of 10% on screen. Price 18.00GBP.

IAF103G Taranis Repulsar MBT Missile Turret

This is an anti-gravity Taranis with a missile turret containing six blocks of four medium missiles each. It is composed of six resin parts which are the upper hull, the lower hull, right and left propulsion fins sections, the missile blocks and the turret mount. It is easy to assemble and we supply the kit with the finely detailed anti-gravity left and right fins on supporting resin blocks which can be removed with a hobby blade. This vehicle is designed to be used for wargaming and thus it is durable. Assembled this vehicle is just over 110mm long and 55mm wide; its a big tank. We offer the choice of purchasing one kit or on the drop down menu the purchase of three with a saving of 10% on screen. Price 20.00GBP.

There are now twenty eight, yes nearly thirty, different variants of the mighty Taranis Main Battle Tank and there is a wealth of information and images about these big 15mm scale vehicles on our blog as articles. To see all the posts click on this link which takes you to the Taranis 'tab' on the blog HERE.

The last release for this month sees us follow up on last year for the Taranis tank and last week we added a firth civilian theme packs to the Ion Age Universe page of the range meaning twenty five different humans and robots for any setting. We have also seen the replacement of the molds for the Super Blue Adder which is a light vehicle with heavy armour that is popular with Taranis owning wargamers as a scout vehicle.

This month our free miniature is IMP31 Padraig O'Malig. For the whole of March 2016 this 15mm scale Space Goblin is automatically put into every order at the rate of one per order regardless of order value. It can also be bought in any amount on the monthly IMP page of the website for this month only too before being withdrawn on the first of next month. Dressed in mock Irish garb and clutching a pistol and a pint of stout he is great fun and a good character for your army. The miniature is one piece in white metal and stands approx 14mm tall. You earn reward points on all orders too through your account (we NEVER send any email or such to your account its sole function is to keep your Reward Points, sign up to our email list if you want our newsletters). We realise that some of you may wish to purchase the currently free miniature to get multiples of it without placing a lot of orders so you can do just that. Read the full monthly free article for March 2016 on our blog HERE.

Thursday, 10 March 2016

“Allow me to create a society around the Prydian Precinct. One that exists with the threat of the Prydian Civil War within and the Shia Khan Empire without. The people, the law, the machines and the creatures that populate the planets, the star ports, outposts and even the seedy bars where Retained Knights would fear to tread.”

This month we add another brand new pack to the growing range on The Ion Age sculpted by Dave Foley called the 15mm Ion Age Universe Characters. We will be adding a new pack just about every month and it is my own and Mr Foley's intention to create a 15mm scale figure range that will allow you to get the 'people' of your wargaming on your table regardless of your setting. Previously we have Precinct Adventurers, Precinct Police, Precinct Dignitaries, Precinct Far Traders and now we present five more original miniatures: IAF108 Precinct Starport Staff! Go HERE or read on.

IAF108 Precinct Starport Staff

The fifth pack of 15mm characters in the Ion Age Universe range. While the mighty vessels of the Prydian Army and the Marcher Barons sail the inky blackness they do have to dock somewhere as do far traders and civilians too. There are many starports in the Precinct from the gigantic New Glastonbury Tor to the multitude of smaller and tiny ports scattered across the inhabited systems. These ports all require staff and some are better than others but all exist to serve the migrant populations that pass through their airlocks. Sculpted by Dave Foley this pack contains five different 15mm scale white metal miniatures in the following poses. Male worker hands clasped with comms gear, Male worker speaking with hands clasped behind his back and comms gear, Young Female worker gesturing with comms gear, luggage Droid on gliding feet carrying bags and lastly Male worker looking while holding box wearing comms gear. Objects are for you to decide! These miniatures are great for any science fiction or suitable genre of wargaming in 15mm scale when you want something other than warfare or soldiers on your table. As always this code can be bought as a pack or as single miniatures or select the three packs and save 10% options from the drop down menu on the page. Go HERE. Price 2.50GBP per pack.

There are the details of the previous packs:

IAF107 Precinct Far Traders

The fourth pack of 15mm characters in the Ion Age Universe range. Far Traders operate within the outer parts of the Prydian Precinct but also beyond it interacting with Marcher Barons, rebels and even aliens all in the name of trade and profit. Skilled and well armed they can be scouts, or carriers of passengers and deal in rare minerals or information. These Far Traders are excellent civilians and rogues for your collection. Sculpted by Dave Foley this pack contains five different 15mm scale white metal miniatures in the following poses. Sitting bearded male with raised finger trading goods, standing male with top knot showing off goods, young female with shouldered goods, female trader offering boxed item and lastly bearded male trader offering bottled goods. Objects are for you to decide! These miniatures are great for any science fiction or suitable genre of wargaming in 15mm scale when you want something other than warfare or soldiers on your table. As always this code can be bought as a pack or as single miniatures or select the three packs and save 10% options from the drop down menu on the page. Go HERE. Price 2.50GBP per pack.

IAF106 Precinct Dignitaries

The third pack of 15mm characters in the Ion Age Universe range. Moving around the worlds of the Prydian Precinct are those who wish to conduct government work, to support those who need their views represented and to meet with each other to discuss high matters. These Dignitaries are excellent civilian important persons for your collection. Sculpted by Dave Foley this pack contains five different 15mm scale white metal miniatures in the following poses. Female in robes carrying object, Female in robes gesturing, Man in tunic with staff and orb, Female in robes hands clasped and finally Male in tunic holding object. Objects are for you to decide! These miniatures are great for any science fiction or suitable genre of wargaming in 15mm scale when you want something other than warfare or soldiers on your table. As always this code can be bought as a pack or as single miniatures or select the three packs and save 10% options from the drop down menu on the page. Go HERE. Price 2.50GBP per pack.

IAF105 Precinct Police

The second pack of 15mm characters in the Ion Age Universe range. Precinct Police are the local law enforcement on the worlds and colonies of the civilised Prydian Precinct who try to maintain order without the use of deadly force if possible. A first line of law and order. Sculpted by Dave Foley this pack contains five different 15mm scale white metal miniatures in the following poses. All are wearing light armour plates, a helmet and a wet weather cape. Male officer holding a control box for directing city services or droids, carrying portable signs and signal equipment, male officer with public address horn, officer with stun baton raised to strike and lastly running with stun baton. These miniatures are great for any science fiction or suitable genre of wargaming in 15mm scale when you want something other than warfare or soldiers on your table. As always this code can be bought as a pack or as single miniatures or select the three packs and save 10% options from the drop down menu on the page. Go HERE. Price 2.50GBP per pack.

IAF104 Precinct Adventurers

The first pack of 15mm characters in the Ion Age Universe range at The Ion Age. Precinct Adventurers are the kind of fellows you need in a scrap or to carry out some dangerous work in a place where the law is a little loose. Sculpted by Dave Foley this pack contains five different 15mm scale white metal miniatures in the following poses. Male adventurer kneeling with a data slab and connected viewer, a hansom male adventurer advancing aiming a Minstrel Taser pistol, male adventurer in long coat signalling a halt holding a Tumbler SMG, male adventurer wearing parts of Aketon armour and at guard pose with a Moth Rifle. Lastly a male adventurer in out moded Alwite armour bandaged head and Minstrel Taser. These miniatures are great for any science fiction or suitable genre of wargaming in 15mm scale when you want something other than warfare or soldiers on your table. As always this code can be bought as a pack or as single miniatures or select the three packs and save 10% options from the drop down menu on the page. Go HERE. Price 2.50GBP per pack.

Information Burst!

There are releases over two weeks this month and this is the first of these releases and aren’t these human's just great for any 15mm sci-fi setting? Next week we will be releasing eight new variants of the mighty super heavy Taranis tank, two on each hull type, a large laser turret and a missile support multi-launcher turret. More on those next week including pictures of course. We have had to replace the original production molds for the Xin Trade Fleet since they have worn out! You can see the Xin HERE and we want to thank you for your support with these far future Chinese and proving we were right in this new direction.

This month our free miniature is IMP31 Padraig O'Malig. For the whole of March 2016 this 15mm scale Space Goblin is automatically put into every order at the rate of one per order regardless of order value. It can also be bought in any amount on the monthly IMP page of the website for this month only too before being withdrawn on the first of next month. Dressed in mock Irish garb and clutching a pistol and a pint of stout he is great fun and a good character for your army. The miniature is one piece in white metal and stands approx 14mm tall. We also have a special offer which is only seen on our emails. You earn reward points on all orders too through your account (we NEVER send any email or such to your account its sole function is to keep your Reward Points, sign up to our email list if you want our newsletters). We realise that some of you may wish to purchase the currently free miniature to get multiples of it without placing a lot of orders so you can do just that. Visit HERE on the website for the miniature at a fair price for a special miniature. Read the full monthly free article for March 2016 on our blog HERE.

Tuesday, 1 March 2016

“We captured a single Malig during the repossession of Jutland Hub in the Winchester IV campaign last month. Just one. We killed thousands of them and not a single one showed any hint of pity or of self preservation. They attacked, they fought and they died. All but one. This single Goblin we captured in the smashed frames of the Glittergirls Bar on the 7th street. Glittergirls as you know is a place for fun and frolics. Well this Malig had gotten into the stocks of ale and spirits and drank itself into an almost stupor. As we swept and cleared we missed it hidden a great pile of empty Ninis bottles. Ninis is potent so we took the opportunity to put restraining cuffs on its hands and feet. When it came round we were astounded to find that it could speak our language. Rumours of Khanate brain harvesting must be in part true as this Goblin had a huge lump on its forehead which was covered by a looted Ninis brand top hat. Groggily it told us its name and its mission.

His name, for it was a Goblin male (not that the females look all that much better) was Padraig O'Malig and he was a member of the highly esteemed Kirish Clan. The Kirish was held in high esteemed by other Maligs for their feats of might as well as humour and story telling. Entry into the Kirish required being able to pass the Crack meaning to squeeze oneself through a tiny gap between standing stones. This done a full day spent in the worst conditions possible including artic or desert terrain or near total rain fall wearing only a thin fabric top garment. If survived you were named a jumper and fierce with only one test left. To get the Messages that being to steal something belonging to the largest and meanest Khanate soldier to be found including Warlords. This done the rest of the Goblins present would present to you the green uniform of the Kirish and shout as loudly as possible 'Top O the Malig tay ya' after which the graft was applied to the skull giving increased brain capacity. The Kirish accompanied Malig Tesserans into battle given the job of 'beyont' (this word does not translate) meaning deep scouting to steal or vandalise enemy hardware or strong points. The only reward it seemed was a temporary relief from the added strain of thinking called naggins (does not translate) to imbibe enough alcohol to render them senseless for many hours. Glittergirls Bar had provided this early.

Padraig seems keen enough to stay in our holding cells as long as we feed him and provide 'naggins' at regular intervals. That said in our ongoing struggle against the Shia Khan Empire the presence of the Kirish Clan could be a real problem."

Welcome to March at The Ion Age. After the massive response to the Xin Trade Fleet last month we are changing tack for March and expanding not only Dave Foley's 15mm civilians range with another pack release but also new releases into the Taranis Super Heavy Main Battle Tank range which will increase the total number of variants to well about the current twenty five. Hundreds of customers, IonFans we like to call them, have built up sizeable amounts of Reward Points on their accounts and are claiming not only such things as 15% or 20% off their orders but also a free Commander Murdo's Taranis Tank kit worth 20.00GBP. Our releases will happen in the first half of the month. I suggest that you join our Mailchimp email list (link on the top right) too if you have not already since our email lets you know what is going on and features a unique offer that is really worth it. This month it is an offer that would make Padraig smile!

IMP31 Padraig O'Malig

For the whole of March 2016 this 15mm scale Space Goblin is automatically put into every order at the rate of one per order regardless of order value. It can also be bought in any amount on the monthly IMP page of the website for this month only too before being withdrawn on the first of next month. Dressed in mock Irish garb and clutching a pistol and a pint of stout he is great fun and a good character for your army. The miniature is one piece in white metal and stands approx 14mm tall.

Of course you earn reward points on all orders too through your account. We realise that some of you may wish to purchase the currently free miniature to get multiples of it without placing a lot of orders so you can do just that. Visit this page on the website for the miniature at a fair price for a special miniature. There is a growing page on the Ion Age website where the current and all former IMP series free miniatures are shown so that you can see what came before. Enjoy and go HERE.

The Maligs are short, vicious and expendable slave troops of the Shia Khan Empire. We have several packs of them plus a platoon pack with the unique 'Senga' miniature included free in it. We also have the crazy Infernus Ball flame tank which you can deploy against your foes. See all of the Maligs HERE.

We look back at what was going out free this time last year and now also in our first year too. In March 2015 it was IMP19 Happy Burger Bot and in March 2014 it was IMP07 Female Patrol Officer. You can get them in the Year Collections of formally free on our website but if you click on the links over the codes you can see the blog post from that month and year and see what else we were up to at that time. Time flies and sometimes we forget and I always enjoy the new month update and to look back at last year and further...so much done and so much still to do!

Online Fans of the Ion Age

The Ion Age

Near a thousand years has passed since the galaxy brought itself to the brink of extinction in the Wars of the Khanate. Dragon ships burned a thousand worlds and humanity sank to its knees amid the ruins of its once glittering stellar commonwealth. At the battle for the Aldan star system the Ban of Prejudice was lifted and for once the liberated soldiers of the Free Companies stood shoulder to shoulder with the gene soldiers of the sterile Imperial Commonwealth; mankind once more united to stop an overwhelming alien threat. A billion men and woman died fighting and the matter gateway on Aldan IV newly built by the Khanate spewed forth legions from across the galactic plane at a rate that even the fanatical Templars of the Free Companies could not halt. It was then, according to the scorched records of the Starvaulters, that the Templars committed the greatest act of treachery even committed upon the body of humanity; creating the Dolorous Expanses. Whole star systems vanished and were replaced with impenetrable clouds of dust, covering dozens of light years each. An artefact of ancient design in the Aldan system, discovered by the Templars but kept secret, the Dolorous Expanses ended the wars at a stroke. Death and destruction beyond toll, changing the very face of the galaxy and all was still; the Free Companies cast out the Templars and the Imperium retreated into its shattered self. The Khanate...gone…for the time being.

Dark times followed and the fate of mankind looked grim, starvation gained hold and commerce fell to the wayside, as few starships could navigate the Dolorous Expanses and contact with the clouds meant instant obliteration. Inhabited worlds tortured their peoples in desperate acts of accelerated terra-forming; needing the land to feed themselves now that commerce was gone. The once zealot and fanatical Free Companies settled into an agrarian civilisation of fifty worlds bonded loosely by their ruling Barons, those of the Free Companies who had retained the armour and weapons of the mighty Crusader regiments.

On worlds such as New Glastonbury and its orbiting Tor these Barons consolidated their powers and on the whole were good to their people, they needed to be; too much had been lost already. Centuries passed and the region of space containing these green and pleasant worlds became known as the Prydian Precinct. Each stellar system looked to itself for sustenance and as technology returned the mighty starships refined their engines and learned how to use the titanic power of the Ion to generate intense magnetic fields and transport themselves instantly from one system to the next avoiding the deadly 'Dolo Clouds'. The need for a collective leadership became clear once more.

The core systems of Prydian space elected a council of Barons, who became the Aeddan's, to lead them and from among their number a titular head was chosen; a king to act on the behalf of all. To prevent the possible imperial ambitions of the past no standing army was allowed to be in the hands of the Aeddan Council or the King who resided on New Glastonbury. Each system would tend to its own needs to fend off pirates and mercenaries who did not respect the King's laws. Allotted to the Aeddan and the King were the million strong Starvaulters, an armed retinue to police the Prydian Precinct, but with no authority or desire to interfere with the Barons and their worlds; their impartiality was all that kept a vital respect for their judgements in matters the Barons could not agree upon.

For a time this arrangement worked and then war once more threatened the worlds of the Prydian Precinct, and war required troops. Millions of soldiers dressed once more in the augmented armour of their forefathers once more took to the field of battle on a hundred planets and countless orbiters and asteroids. It was in war that disaster fell, King Cyon III was killed, and he left his infant daughter in his place. A mere babe could not administer the needs of the Aeddan and their billions of charges, a guardianship was needed. The duty fell to Reckart Nevall a mighty Baron known as the 'Kingmaker' but his guardianship was not greeted by all with joy, over the fifteen years that followed two great camps grew within Prydian space and the Aeddan council split in twain.

A minor Baron whose world Kendal III was poor but populous brought the building tension to a head. Baron Kacj Dace rebelled against a judgement of the Starvaulters and called upon the Marcher Barons of the outer systems of Prydian space to assist him. This they did, seeing the Starvaulters as nothing more than Nevall's retinue to ensure his false control of the Aeddan Council. Naming themselves the League of Canlaster they elected Prince Edmund Bluefort as their rightful heir to the crown of Prydia and attacked Kendal III destroying the small force of Starvaulters on the planet. This single act ignited a civil war, a conflict the largest seen by the worlds of Prydian space for centuries. Nevall reacted with rage and called on the support of his own Marcher Barons to control the now teenage Princess Daphne Cyon and the throne she represented. He headed the League of Yordan named for his home world. The first battle of the Prydian Civil War was fought on Kendal III, many more soon followed. An elite strike force of Starvaulters stole Princess Cyon from Nevall's grasp and spirited her away to New Glastonbury where they now reside in force.

It is now the twelfth year of the Civil War and after suffering terrible setbacks and defeats the white and red uniformed troops of the Prydian Army have gained new vigour and are pushing the Leagues to their limit.Led by the veterans of the Starvaulters and driven by the Code Gallant the now adult Princess Daphne Cyon has promised to liberate each and every world in the Precinct and return it to the safe holding of the Addan Council.This she is doing to great effect and none in the Leagues seem able to prevent the cheering crowds and the flocking to the banners of the Addan.The Civil War might be nearing its end and for many this cannot come soon enough.

Rumours abound about the ever increasing numbers of Muster and Retained along with some of the shining lights of the Starvaulters being sent to the remote Carmarthen star cluster.Some have hinted that perhaps the Leagues are not the prime threat to Prydia and something else, something terrible lurks at the edge of Precinct space.An ancient enemy that all the preparation and new vitality of the Prydian Army may not be able to halt.

Do you want to liberate worlds held by the Marcher Barons or resist the advance of the Prydian Army? Or do you dream and fear of what is occurring in the remote Carmarthen star cluster?